Air-torpedo.



F. B. WUEBBEN.

AIR TORPEDO.

APPLlcAffloN r|LEn1uLY|1.191z.

Patented July 23, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR WrrNEssEs Ff ATTO R N EY F. B. WUEBBEN.

AIR TORPEDO.

APPucATmN msn 1ULY11.1911. Patented July 23,1918

v2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Lkk Y FRANK B. WUEBBEN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

AIBr-VTORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led J'uly 11, 1917. Serial No. 179,897.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK B. WcnBBEN, aY citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, yin the countyrof VMontgomery and State of Ohio, ha've invented new and useful Improvements in Air-Torpedoes, of which the following is aspeciiication.

Thisl invention relates to improvements in aerial torpedoes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an aerial torpedo having an automatic explodin device adapted to cut off the power of t e torpedo previously to the explosion to allow it to fall to the point of most effective action.

Another object is to provide an improved construction for the body and supporting surfaces.

A further object is` to provide means` for automatically maintaining the torpedoon a direct course. i

A fourth object is to provide means which will hold the controlling surfaces to direct the torpedo upward, and which will be released aftera predetermined interval to permit the torpedo to travel horizontally.

With these and other objects in view, I have 4incorporated my invention in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated 'in the drawings, and `having the novel features set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the torpedo.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top fplan view showing the covering material o one wing partly removed to expose the construction.

Fig. 3 is aA longitudinal vertical section through the body of the torpedo.

Fig. 4 illustrates dia ammatically the controllin mechanism or .cutting o the power an operating the elevator rudder.

Fig. 5 isa detailed view of the partition plate for the body.

The body 1 ofthe torpedo 1s of the c ustomary elongated stream-line form tov minimize air resistance, and is divided transversely intermediately of the ends into two sections, a forward section 2 for containing the explosive charge, and a rear section 3 inclosing the power plant andA associated mechanism. Each section is preferably a one-piece aluminum casting having walls of considerable thickness, whereby in the eX- plosion a large quantity of fragments is ob- Patented July 23, 1918. y

tained without prohibitive weight; and the adjacent ends ofthe sections 2 and 3 are formed respectively with external and internal screw threads 4, 5 adapted for mutual engagement to securely lock the sections together.

The power plant consists in the present instance of a gasolene motor 6 mounted interiorly of the rear section 3, and driving, preferably' by gears 7 and 8, the propeller shaft 9, suitably journaledin bearings 10 attachedto the body l, and prolonged rearwardly through an opening 11 provided in the rear end of the body; and terminally rovided with means shown as a flange 12 or driving attachment of the ropeller 13. The motor 6 is provided with t e usual fuel tank 14 and battery 15, or other ignition' lmeans, and for controlling the motor 6 the throttle 16 is preferably connected to a rod 17 'prolonged through an opening in the body 1 for exterior' attachment of a handlever 1.8, rotatable to close and open the throttle; while one of the battery conductors 19 is brought through an opening 20 for insertion in the circuit of a switch 21 mounted on the outside of the body and adapted to be manually opened to stop the motor 6.

To retain the explosive charge 22 in the forwardrsection a partition plate 23 is suitably secured, over the end of the section 2; and for firing the charge 22 after a predetermined interval to allow the torpedo to reach a desired point, I prefer to utilize a 'timing deviceJ 24 such as is commonly employed for explosive shells, screwthreaded or otherwise secured in an elongated hollow shank 24 similarly engaged in an lepening 25 communicating with the charge chamber.

The shank 24 is, in the preferred lform shown, filled with slow-burning material constituting a time fuse.

To obtain the maximum effect, the torpedo is preferably adapted to fall to a desired distance from the ground before the explosion. In the present'instance, this is accomplished by inserting in the conductor 19 a sprin opened switch 26 normally maintains closed by fa combustible tension element shown as a cord 27 extendin ,through an opening 27 in the timershan 24 to contact with the combustible matter therein and terminally connected to an auxiliary lever 28 normally rotatable on the throttle-rod 17 and adapted to be secured to the rod 17 by a thumb-screw 29. A spring 30 is provided for closing the throttle, 16, which in operation is opened a desired distance by the lever 18, and secured in the. open position by tightening the screw 29 on the lever 28.

rllhe supporting surfaces 31 preferably comprise frames 32 of wood or other suit able material having attached thereto a plurality of tension elements shown as rods 33 or wires extending inwardly and linked at the inner ends to suitable, connecting means shown as plates 84.4 The surfaces are covered with fabric in the usual manner, and are suitably attached to the body, as by bolting to flanges formed integrallyY with and projecting laterally from the body and extending longitudinally' 'thereof'.

The usual vertical and horizontal rudders 37 and 88 are mounted in the present instance on the extremity of a bars 39 securely bolted. or otherwise attached to and extending rearwardly from the body 1. To automatically maintain the torpedo on a direct course, the rudder 87 may be piv-V otally mounted on the bars 39 for lateral swinging movement, and connected by suitable means shoWn as rods 40 to controlling aps 41 swingingly attached toward the ends of the supporting surfaces 31. 1t will be seen that when a side-gust tending to de fleet the torpedo from the proper course strikes either Hap 41, the rudder 37 will be actuated to compensate for the disturbance by serving as a rudder.

Hinged to the rear edge of the horizontal rudder 38 is a ap 42 constituting an elevator rudder for directing the movements of the torpedo in a vertical plane. In the preferred form shown, the Hap 42 .is adapted to be normally maintained against a stop 43 in a position to cause the torpedo to ascend. For this purpose a spring 44 is attached at one end to the flap 42 and provided at the other end with an eye 44 e'ngaged by a catch 45 suitably pivoted as to the frame of the stabilizing surface. The catch 45 is adapted to be disengaged from the eye 42 `by a tension spring 46, normally restrained from action by a cord 47 attached at one end to the catch 45 and toward the other extended through an opening 48 in the shank 24 of the timer 24 similarly to the cord 27, and terminally secured to any convenient portion of the structure.

In operation, the timer 24 is set before releasing the torpedo to allow the latter to climb to a desired height before releasing the cord 27 to permit the controlling surfaces to move to the position for horizontal travel. The distance between the openings 48 and 27 is such as to permit the torpedo to travel a. desired distance horizontally before releasing the cord 27 to cut olf the power, and the remaining portion of the time fuse is of such length that the torpedo will fall to a desired distance of the ground before the explosion.

1t is to be understood that the herein described embodiment of my invention is only one of many and varied forms comprelhended within the spirit of the invention;

and the right is reserved to such variation, alteration, and modification as falls within the scope of the claims.

l: claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a body adapted to containan explosive charge, propelling means for said body, an elevating plane for said body, a time fuse, and means operated by said time fuse for actuating said plane and for stopping the propelling means.

2. A device of the class described comprising a body adapted to contain an explosive charge, propelling means for said body, sustaining means for said body, steering means for said body, controlling flaps hinged. to said sustaining means, connecting means for connecting said flaps to the steering means, a device for exploding the charge, and means actuated by said device for rendering the propelling means inoperative.

3. ln a device of the class described, a body adapted for containing an explosive charge, propelling means for said body, sustaining means for said body and controlling means for said body; a device for exploding such charge and having connection with said body, and means having connection with said propelling means whereby -the propelling means Will be rendered inoperative after a predetermined period of operation; the last mentioned means adapted to be actuated by said exploding device.

4. 1n a device of the class described, a body adapted for containing an explosive charge, propelling means for said body, sus-` taining means for said body, controlling surfaces for said body, and a device on the body for exploding such charge; means normally holding said controlling surfaces in a position for one direction of travel, the last mentioned means having connection with said exploding device whereby t-he said last mentioned means will be released after a predetermined interval to permit said controlling means to change the direction of travel.

5. 1n a device of the lclass described, a body adapted for containing an explosive charge, propelling means for said body, controlling surfaces for said body, sustaining means for said body, and a device on said sol body for exploding such charge; means having connection with said controlling surfaces and said exploding device whereby the controlling surfaces will normally be retained in one position and Will be permitted movement to another position after a predetermined interval of time, means having connection with said exploding device and said propelling means whereby the propelling means will be rendered inoperative after a predetermined interval of time, and ameehanism for automatically governing said controlling surfaces.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRANK B. W l lEBBEN. 

